Blog Archive

Jana Kramer


Click to watch Jana Kramer, Love.

Martina McBride


Click to watch Martina McBride, Come See About Me.

Lindsay Ell


Click to watch Lindsay Ell, Trippin' On Us.

Labels

Music Video (1918) Pop (534) R and B (378) Pop Rock (241) Dance-pop (169) Alternative Rock (168) Country (166) Hip hop (150) Synthpop (130) Soul (129) Electropop (128) Indie pop (104) American Idol (75) Rock (75) Dance (67) Indie Rock (65) Folk (48) Electronic (45) House (45) Folk Rock (40) Pop Punk (40) Movie Trailer (39) Album (32) New Wave (32) Electro House (31) Soft Rock (27) Acoustic (26) Dance Pop (26) Hard Rock (26) Alternative (25) Drama (21) Dubstep (21) Electro Pop (21) Baroque Pop (20) Blue-eyed soul (20) Alternative Hip Hop (19) Blues (16) Eurodance (16) Folk Pop (16) Jazz (16) Reggae (16) Warner Bros (15) Electro (14) Adult contemporary (12) Alternative Metal (12) Ballad (12) DVD (11) Acoustic Rock (9) Classical (8) TV series (8) Bluegrass (6) Urban (4)

Cassadee Pope


Click for more on Cassadee Pope: Frame By Frame.

Snoop Lion & Miley Cyrus sing about "Ashtrays And Heartbreaks"

Posted by Kevin Z. Rong Friday, May 31, 2013 0 comments

Snoop Lion and Miley Cyrus have put together some slow-motion and preside over the various ongoings of a crowded city in the new visuals for their collaboration "Ashtrays and Heartbreaks," which is the lead single appears on the 41-year-old rapper-turned-rasta's latest reggae effort, "Reincarnated," the twelfth studio album by Snoop Dogg, and the first under his new, reggae-fied moniker Snoop Lion, and he certainly tells one hypnotic, hazy story! His new reggae sound is evidently turning Snoop into a poet as the song about love and loss tells a visual story that features a toked up Snoop on the streets of a slowed down LA and glass reflections of a spiritual Cyrus.
"Reincarnated's highlight is "Ashtrays and Heartbreaks," with, yes, 20-year-old Cyrus, still in her first flush of post-teen stonerdom, sounding every bit like the sort of suburban teen was led not-quite-astray by Snoop's previous incarnation. Produced by Major Lazer, Ariel Rechtshaid and Dre Skull, the Reggae-flavored summery track finds Snoop proclaiming, "Tonight there's gonna be a lot of smoke in the air." A heartbroken Cyrus then reminisces about losing those close to her, whether it's the passing away of a family member or a breakup. "Is there any possibility that everyone feels like me," she sings, "You're gone, but you're never missed."
Snoop told MTV News that he feels Cyrus is often criticized by the press unfairly. "She loves what I do and I really love what she does, so for us to come together, it's bold and courageous," he said. "People just expect so much from her because they've been watching her whole life, from being a kid. She's just ready to be a grown up and express herself, and I support it." Asked how this duet came about, Snoop recalled: "It's basically what we are both going through right now. We're both going through transformation, we both love making music and doing what we do and speaking from our hearts, and it's just a great collaboration."
Rapper and singer find power in pain in the PR Brown-directed cool-toned video. In which the two artists are look positively chill and only seen as projections on a variety of reflective surfaces, including car windows, store fronts, and a heart-shaped pair of sunglasses, and so many mirrored surfaces. The video reflects the feel-good nature of the song, which encourages to the listener to "raise a glass to the memories [and] set them free," not surprisingly, Snoop puffs some celebratory smoke in slow-motion as well.

Ke$ha shows off new look in typically wild form for "Crazy Kids"

Posted by Kevin Z. Rong Thursday, May 30, 2013 0 comments

Ke$ha returned to her over-the-top roots and sporting cornrow hair extensions, huge platform sneakers and huge gold rimmed glasses in the promo for her electronic rap song, "Crazy Kids," the third single from her sophomore studio album, "Warrior," features a guest verse by will.i.am, who co-penned the original solo version of the song. Neither crazy nor kids, the reigning Queen and King of Auto-Tune, Ke$ha and will.i.am have paired up for a scientifically formulated dance-pop song ready to pair with vodka bombs at your local sketchy club that smells funny.
Featuring whistling, "Crazy Kids," is of the techno-pop genre with traces of pop rap. And lyrically, the song was said to establish dualistic personalities for Ke$ha, and were inspired by a birthday party of Ke$ha's, which she described as, "one crazy night." This whistle-laden live-for-the moment tune finds the 26-year-old "Die Young" singer reverting back to the irreverent Pop-Rap style of her debut release, "Animal." The queen of the white-trash outcasts does not pull any punches as she spits nonchalant cuss-filled rhymes.
The glitter-loving pop star explained in her official track-by-track commentary: "'Crazy Kids' is an anthem for people like me, my animals and many people in the world who are crazy and not afraid to show it, and actually proud of it." And Ke$ha, always adept at live-for-tonight choruses, belts out a catchy one here for everyone who's dancin' on the dance floor or drinkin' by the bar. We've come to expect a certain kind of craziness from Ke$ha and the outspoken pop star hasn't let us down in her new video for "Crazy Kids," which displayed Ke$ha at her most take-it-or-leave it and the beats grimy.
The Darren Craig-directed video has Ke$ha rocking a new look in typical Ke$ha style, everything in the clip is over-the-top, from will.i.am appearing as a pinball-playing astronaut, to the inclusion of a mini horse, various shirtless, bearded old men, and throwing a hellacious house party that's sure to get the neighbors up in arms. Ke$ha clearly enjoys what she's doing - she looks like she's having an absolute blast throughout the video, whether she's mean-mugging for the camera or dropping it low in a series of scandalous dance sequences. Of course, she didn't hold back when it came to the crazy.

Kelly Clarkson breaks from monocolor world in "People Like Us"

Posted by Kevin Z. Rong Wednesday, May 29, 2013 0 comments

Kelly Clarkson breaks free from a restrictive black and white world in her brand new Pleasantville-like video for her catchy pop dance anthem, "People Like Us," the compilation's third and final single to be released from Clarkson's first greatest hits album, "Greatest Hits: Chapter One," which is available in stores and on iTunes now. The 31-year old original American Idol superstar disguises herself as a scientist in the video for "People Like Us," as she tries to help a young woman held captive.
Clarkson recently admitted she now finds it difficult to listen to her early songs like "Miss Independent" and "Since U Been Gone" because of how much auto tune was used on her voice, and because she sounds so young. Filled with empowering lyrics about bringing people together, "People Like Us" soars even higher than the compilation's lead single "Catch My Breath," and showcases Clarkson's ability to turn frustration into uplifting and danceable catharsis. "We are all misfits living in a world on fire," Clarkson belts on her latest single, which is a rousing call for folks to stand up for one another and be individuals.
It's another colossal, fist-in-the-air pop anthem from Clarkson, who is an old expert at spinning hope from hard times and this is the perfect final entry to Clarkson's "Chapter One." "People Like Us," a throbbing outsiders anthem, is also poppy and upbeat, but the biggest draw may be its appeal to the gay community. "People Like Us" finds Clarkson cuing her inner Lady Gaga and belting "Born This Way" levels of encouragement. Unlike her previous more emotionally-themed video for "Catch My Breath," "People Like Us" features a cute little story.
The futuristic clip was directed by Chris Marrs Piliero and filmed on April 9, at Mission Street Lab in South Pasadena, California. It features Miss Independent as a double agent of sorts operating between worlds of color and black-and-white. She alongside a group of stern-looking black and white  scientists analyze this 'in color' little girl in a lab facility. As the storyline unfolds, though, Clarkson's character reveals herself to be more than she appears. Clarkson is actually another in-color person who is trying to save said misfits from a lack of color, in a "Pleasantville"-esque plot against the black-and-white world.

Little Big Town embraces sadness with a brand-new video for their unusually subtle power ballad, "Your Side Of The Bed," the third single from group's fifth studio album, "Tornado." The unabashedly sad new song that's about just what the title implies–that feeling when partners in a romantic relationship drift apart. Little Big Town's compelling new ballad boasts all the ingredients of a country classic, sizzles with emotional tension, and deliver performances that capture the loneliness and angst of a couple wrestling with the growing distance in their relationship.
The Little Big Town quartet share co-writing credits with Lori McKenna on this yearning Country ballad, which performed in duet form between married lead vocals from Karen Fairchild and Jimi Westbrook. "I love that this lyric is so brutally honest," said Fairchild. "There are times in a relationship when you allow things to come between you, so much so that it feels like an incredibly long way back to each other. It's a lonely place to be especially when you're lying right next to someone you love."
The emphatic ballad strikes a pitch that resonates deep within any couple that's been married long enough to outrun the honeymoon period. It's almost uncomfortably familiar. The soft acoustic and haunting electric guitar intro mirrors the atmosphere of a bedroom weighted down by discontent. It's the chorus that announces the volume of thoughts sealed by pursed lips. The couple shares lead on the emotional track, their personal connection only adding to an already intimate performance. Perhaps the only flaw is that "Your Side of the Bed" will strike too deep with some fans, making it difficult to finish. The song details classic country lonesomeness with lines like, "Are you sleeping with your own regret on your side of the bed?"
The heart wrenching video for the song was shot last month by Becky Fluke and takes place at the historic Tennessee Theater and The Oliver Hotel in Knoxville, Tennessee and captures a look into one night, highlighting the tension and honesty in the song's lyrics. Like the song, the video is painfully familiar to anyone whose marriage has gone through a period of distance and discontent. It is a fictional look inside the marriage and its plot focuses on the two in their real-life roles as co-performers who are also together in life, playing on their onstage chemistry and contrasting that with the uncomfortable, awkward silence when they're off it.

Right as she finishes her new album, Jessie J released the music video, a little earlier then expected, for her uptempo, high-energy new track, "Wild," the lead single from Jessie J's upcoming as-yet-untitled sophomore album, follow-up to her 2011 debut, "Who You Are." The 25-year-old British "Price Tag" singer won't let a broken foot slow her down and is going to "Wild" out. Her new single "Wild" has been met with a hugely enthusiastic response from fans and bloggers since its release, and has reached number three on the iTunes chart only a few hours after its debut.
Produced by Ammo, and co-written by Claude Kelly, "Wild" is an inspiring gritty pop/urban anthem and a beast of a song and chorus is so strong. It is kind of reminiscing to Ke$ha's "Sleazy" song. Big Sean and Dizzee Rascal add rap verses to "Wild" and help the British pop singer find her new run-the-world-girls attitude by dropping verses on her latest dance-infused track. At first listen, fans of Jessie J's more bubbly Pop-oriented songs may assume that "Wild" is too much of a detour from her previous material. Yet, that is the beauty of Jessie J!
Jessie J is probably the most badass vocal presence in the game right now, but She has never been confined to a single genre, and her debut album included a mix of Pop, Soul and R&B. So, "Wild" should easily cater to at least one sector of her broad fanbase. Additionally, "Wild" is perfect for the current US radio climate, which has depicted an upturn in Urban-oriented music during the last few months. "Wild" really caters to a wide audience with plenty of different sounds infused and a catchy chorus to give it hit potential. While revealed as a thumping anthem to resilience, "Wild" also holds true to expectations that Jessie J would show off her agile and powerful voice, even if at the expense of others.
Jessie J puts down her old world glamour and channels her inner wild side in the Emil Nava-directed clip for "Wild," which also features rappers Big Sean and Dizzee Rascal, shows Jessie J's heels clack as she struts through an empty warehouse, and walking onto the video's set with her blonde shaven hairstyle, before close-ups of her fierce gazes and outfits flash onto the screen and  takes off her top revealing the upper half of her sexy, black two-piece outfit that she struts in front of a clean, white background for a monochrome effect. After she drops the first verse and the catchy hook, showcasing her big vocals, Big Sean enters the scene with his rap assist, then Dizzee Rascal steps in for his solo in the track, for a double-dose of urban-oriented music.

Florida Georgia Line hit the road to do the cruise with St. Louis rapper Nelly in the video for the urban-flecked remix of the country duo's smash hit "Cruise," the lead single from the up-and-coming country duo's extended play "It'z Just What We Do," as well as included on their debut studio album, "Here's to the Good Times." The mid-tempo track had become the best-selling song by a country duo in digital history and has already become a fan favorite live, as it sets the bar for a fun, summertime anthem for years to come.
The song tells a familiar story about an attractive woman with whom the male narrator wants to "cruise" in his car, and they end up in a summer romance. The girl described in "Cruise" is the typical country-song wet dream. This isn't an original story, but it's one that never gets old. Florida Georgia Line's Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard play it with inspiration and their formal training shows in the tight execution of this lyric-heavy summer song. If anyone should know a thing or two about southern love in the country, it's a band called Florida Georgia Line. They don’t disappoint with "Cruise," although the bridge could be cut without consequence.
In this very contemporary tune, the R&B influences are obvious in both the rhythm and the melody. It gives the song that uber-laidback quality that often characterizes popular summer singles. "Cruise," became a Top 10 pop hit after it was remixed with some hip-hop flavor by Nelly, is what you might classify as finesse. Because Nelly has previous experience dueting with Tim McGraw on 2004's "Over and Over," he can rap over a back-porch strum without freaking out and shrugging off several centuries of slavery. This isn't faint praise - it takes a certain dignity to commiserate with the pretty-boy dorkuses of Florida Georgia Line without them mudflaps kicking some up on you.
These boys all bring their fast, fun and the furious ways to share the love for fast cars and hot women that invites plenty of dancing along and a little acceleration when it comes to the gas pedal. This remix and its video embody that spirit. The Marc Klasfeld-directed remix video takes us from daylight dirt racing to dancing at night with the ladies and sees St. Louis MC drives a white Ferrari, while Florida Georgia Line duo races monster trucks through the desert. Nelly gets pulled over by a cop, who strips off her clothes before jumping in the car. It celebrates the pursuit of a good time and how getting their fast is mission critical, so you can further enjoy the festivities. Buckle up for the ride.

The Saturdays dressing up as their male alter egos in 'Gentleman'

Posted by Kevin Z. Rong Saturday, May 25, 2013 0 comments

English-Irish girl group The Saturdays channeling their inner "Desperate Housewives" before dressing up as their male alter egos in the music video for their weird-amazing new single, "Gentleman," the third single to be taken from the group's upcoming fourth studio album, which rumored to be called "The Chase" and scheduled for release this Summer. The video is a nice complement to the song, and a perfect recreation inspired by the TV promo "Desperate Housewives," as they even dress up as the opposite sex - although nothing can hide their femininity.
Written by Priscilla Renea and produced by Ambience. The tongue-in-cheek track "Gentleman," is a contemporary take on the Nineties urban pop sound, with intricate harmonies and a fast-paced, upbeat flow, hears the five-piece complain about how finding a gentleman to date is difficult in modern society. It a funky little tune, with a spoken-word bit that evokes Girls Aloud built around the following largely inexplicable hook. Undoubtedly one of the biggest girl bands in the UK, the multimillion selling pop group, are now set to continue their remarkable run of success since forming in 2008.
Instead, they throw shade at a guy who not only cheats on his girlfriend but can't commit even after "you got his baby." The retro-flavored cut sees Una Healy, Frankie Sandford, Rochelle Humes, Mollie King and Vanessa White on the hunt for the perfect man but they lament a concept seemingly stuck in a lost decade, so 1999. In a surreal musical turn in their trajectory, the girls have decided to leave their dance-pop sound of the last hit single "What About Us" to enter in the world of urban R&B/Funky/Pop where the girls dare even pseudo-rapping. Still, they deliver an entertaining and funky rap bit at the end.
The Rana Rizwan-directed clip vaguely resembles a 'Desperate Housewives' trailer, sees the girls not only as glamorous housewives but also dressed as their male love interests in masculine suits and hats. The Girls get sexy as Housewives and prance around an ordinary-looking suburban block in Eva Longoria-esque skimpy outfits in sexy ensembles, as they garden, hang up laundry, out drinking and gambling, and perform other domestic tasks, the "What About Us" singers coo about wanting a quality boyfriend/husband/partner. The girls go back to their feminine side after dressing up as men. The concept fits the song effectively. We like. Somewhat.

Loreen dancing amongst moving images in "We Got The Power"

Posted by Kevin Z. Rong Friday, May 24, 2013 0 comments

The Queen who snatched the crown at Eurovision 2012 competition and then returned as both the opening act of Eurovision 2013 and the interval act of the Grand Final, Loreen, has unveiled the music video for her new single, the epic "We Got The Power," the first single off of the 29-year-oldSwedish singer's upcoming as-yet-untitled sophomore studio album follows later this year. "We Got The Power" was released internationally as a download last week and has, unsurprisingly, had most success so far in Sweden where it has been in the top ten on iTunes since.
Co-penned by Ester Dean and produced by Patrik Berger, "We Got The Power" trades out the pulsating synthesizers for a gritty guitar line and a marching drumbeat. But with her dark, moody trance masterpiece "Euphoria," the powerhouse Swedish belter is kept the soaring chorus of voices: "We got the power to make you love." Unlike her previous singles, "We Got The Power" is not a heartbreaking dance anthem, but instead an empowering pop jam packed with glorious builds and a infectious uplifting melody. Loreen's powerhouse vocals are on point once again, making this another solid effort.
But a song that sounds like a lost Pat Benatar classic blasted into space isn't good enough for Loreen, who had to go and direct the video herself. She directed it mere days after the single's release! The clip, which was directed by Loreen herself, sees the "Euphoria" star in slow motion dancing amongst a series of "moving images," to the uplifting "We Got The Power" as random moving images are beamed behind her. There are also scenes of a topless Loreen wearing a Roman soldier helmet, or closed-up shots of her singing the track. It's very simple, low-budget, but nonetheless you will feel the power.
In her own words: "I always have a clear picture of what I want to convey in my artistry and feel a great responsibility for the things I release," Loreen explained. "Moving images, for me, creates an extra dimension to the music. In addition, we need more female directors in the industry. More women who dare to take place, just like the video for 'We Got The Power' is doing." And it's great: Elegant in its simplicity and lovingly rendered, trading a real narrative for a lot of nicely evocative shots.

She & Him are missed connection in "I Could've Been Your Girl"

Posted by Kevin Z. Rong Thursday, May 23, 2013 0 comments

She & Him, a collaboration between M. Ward and actress Zooey Deschanel, have unveiled the video for their wistful new single, "I Could've Been Your Girl" taken from the retro-folk outfit's latest fourth studio album, "Volume 3," which was released earlier this month. Deschanel, unabashed Quirky Girl, may have grown her bangs out a bit in "I Could've Been Your Girl" video, but we're pleased to report that despite almost ten years' worth of cutesy dresses, brightly colored flats, and "gee-whiz"-style sexless witticisms, we are not sick of her yet.
For certain segments of the population, including some of us who may be reluctant to admit such things, an adorable Deschanel dance routine is pretty much audio-visual crack cocaine. And that group of people should enjoy the living hell out of She & Him's new video for "I Could've Been Your Girl." Deschanel herself directed this one, in which she tries and fails to get the attention of her bandmate M. Ward. This probably makes band practice awkward. There's no surprise that anything Deschanel puts her name on is as adorable as it gets, and this is certainly no exception.
The music is a swaying, polished update on '60s girl-group sounds by way of '00s indie pop and the fairly charming video lets this former theater major showcase her love of classic Broadway dance routines. The 'New Girl' actress made her debut behind the lens for the retro-inspired video, which looks like it's straight out of the '60s with the costumes and dance numbers. It's musical time travel, Hello Giggles-style, and if you've read this far that probably means it's your style, too. Deschanel says it's inspired by her favorite '60s musicals. She dances throughout the clip, and M. Ward, appears as a mean-looking café patron. (He's credited as "The Star".) And Deschanel has no respect for M. Ward's coffee time.
The promo has the adorable poster girl utilizing every manic pixie move and dancing the twist and the Charleston in the handbook as she tries and fails to get M. Ward's attention in a restaurant, but it seems a sad, disgruntled M. Ward, who just wants to drink his cup of coffee. Grooving with a vibrantly colored team of backup dancers, the "Don't Look Back" singer visually illustrates the emotional tailspin of "I love him, but he doesn't know I exist..." as only Deschanel could. Well, at least now we know what to do the next time we see a cute guy on the subway. This totally beats writing a Missed Connection.

Maroon 5 getting paint-drenched intimate hot in 'Love Somebody'

Posted by Kevin Z. Rong Wednesday, May 22, 2013 0 comments

Maroon 5 is back and unleashed the paint-drenched intimate new music video for their latest song "Love Somebody," the fourth single and one of the more emotional tracks from the American pop rock band's fourth platinum-selling newest studio album, "Overexposed." The band debuted the new song on Wednesday (May 20) night with a performance on NBC's The Voice, and now they set the bars high with their even more amazing and eye candy of a video for "Love Somebody."
Co-written by Levine, Nathaniel Motte of 3OH!3, Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic and producer Noel Zancanella (Demi Lovato, B.o.B.), "Love Somebody." is one of several "Overexposed" tracks that Levine wrote after his two year relationship with the Victoria's Secret model Anne Vyalitsyna ended. The frontman told The Sun: "We could never put out a Maroon 5 record without the love songs as that's why we connect so well with our fans. We have fun, yes, but we speak about things we've all been through at some time."
Consists of piano and guitar, "Love Somebody," is an alternative rock, talks about Levine "feeling so hollow" with a Sly Stone-meets-Eurythmics synth hook. The lyrical theme of the song is a plea for salvation on the dance floor or some other horizontal surface. It's a rare moment where the overhanging production tricks ease up just enough to make for an honest-to-God song with emotion and not just a laser scope aimed at the Billboard charts. It's one of Maroon 5's best yet. The song's video is highly visual, a feast for the eyes as you can watch band's Levine slather a liquid material all over his body, revealing every muscle, and we're still fanning ourselves from how hot the video is!
Directed by Rich Lee, the original, simple and visually stunning video uses the inverse of green screen technology and utilizes an effect that causes band member's body parts to show up as they are covered in a thick, paint-like substance. The very engaging and uncanny-valley-effect-inducing video starred the band performing in a black and blue-goop as signer Levine getting intimate hot, heavy and manages to make messy sexy with a fine lady, model Emily Ratajkowski, as they unveil their painted bodies by touching and caressing their own and each other's blank skin, full of paint naturally. Superb!

Black Eyed Peas rapper will.i.am stepped into the future with "#thatPOWER," and now he goes back in time in the vintage video for his hit single, "Bang Bang," a cut off of the deluxe edition of will's latest solo album, "#willpower," and his addition to Baz Luhrmann's recently-released film, "The Great Gatsby" soundtrack. Although his music is often futuristic in sound and he has been making futuristic videos, but this time the rapper-producer takes it back - way back and goes for an old school look and evokes the roaring '20s fever in his new visual.
will.i.am graced the 'American Idol' stage a couple of weeks ago to sing his new song, "Bang, Bang," giving an excellent must-see performance. He rocked an all-white suit for the '20's-themed performance which included a big band and Charleston crazed, hip-hop dancers. The stage lighting was phenomenal; at first, an all black and white theme, then back to pops of color. Just when everyone thought it couldn’t get any better, the 38-year-old busted out an obviously well-rehearsed tap dance solo. His costume is sorta crazy, but the performance we definitely entertaining! Everything related to "The Great Gatsby" seems to be turning to gold lately.
Sampled Jazz Ensemble's "Charleston," the track, an amalgamation of '20's jazzy instrumentals and futuristic rap-pop vocals, is another electro pop banger that finds will.i.am speaking about the power of love. Here, the pop hitmaker attempts to fuse vaudeville with modern club music. Over a sprightly, banjo-laced instrumental arrangement fortified with four-the-floor-percussion, will mixes flowed bars with more period-appropriate sung vocals, even trying his hand at scatting on the back. Both the song and the video are throwbacks to the Roaring Twenties, a perfect fit for Gatsby, with retro dance moves like the Charleston and a medley of horns blasting the upbeat tempo.
Inspired by the movie, will.i.am "Bang Bangs" us into a 1920s fever in the unknown director's official visuals has a retro feel to it and accent the full of old-timey feel, as we see dressed in a vintage tux from that era and a white top hat and tails, the Black Eyed Peas frontman rhymes on that retro track and performs with a band full band behind him and has some help with the performance from a flapper girl in the dope black-and-white clip. He pulls off some impressive throw-back moves and shows off his Charleston and tap-dancing skills as he mixes old school with new school. Roar back to the '20s with will.i.am.

Lune & Swedish House Mafia want to "Leave the World Behind"

Posted by Kevin Z. Rong Monday, May 20, 2013 0 comments

Swedish singer Lune unveiled the music video for her haunting reinterpretation of Swedish House Mafia's 2009 hit song, "Leave The World Behind," starring Axwell, Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso. In addition to featuring Lune in the updated version, Volvo Cars will also have a starring role in the music video, as the automobile company uses "Leave the World Behind" as the theme for their upcoming advertising campaign for the new Volvo XC60.
Lune is a music project fronted by Linnéa Martinsson, who has collaborated with various electronic acts. Rooted in the dance and performance world she started young, writing simple songs with two chords and simple, direct lyrics about art, fighting, sport, love and sex. "Leave the World Behind," features her moving, soulful rendition of  the trio's earlier hit. This one, opposite to the original, is totally stripped down to one of the most moving pieces of music you were to hear.
"Lune is not a regular house act but when I heard it I immediately knew that it was a project that I wanted to get involved in” says Ingrosso, “It’s a project that one shouldn't try to influence too much - it really has it's own unique qualities that shouldn’t be tampered with“," he continues. So very deep and so very pensive, it's lyrics make you want to let go of a fast paced, stressful life and move on to an easier, calmer and more remote one, just like the trio in the video. The video does what Lune's facebook page had been proclaiming over the last few days. Delivering the sound from the Balearic Isles to the Norwegian fjords is a feat Lune achieves perfectly.
The highly teased and anticipated new video compliments the entire mood of the song perfectly and we see a glimpse at a simpler life, away from the bright lights and booming bass. Directed by Adam Berg, it’s beautifully made on ideal locations and trio's home ground in Scandinavia, and its setting theme seems to imply that boys from Swedish House Mafia quite literally left the world behind and returned to their roots and a simpler life. The cinematography is absolutely touching as each and every frame helps you picturise the exact emotion of with which this version was created. The end is even more haunting with Ingrosso playing a beautiful yet eerie tune on an old grand piano and Axwell clanking his metal cup while sailing on a boat. The huge house classic fits the chilling yet serene video. Take a look at it yourself, it'll definitely make you want to leave the world behind you.

Jennifer Lopez offered a colorful runway show in "Live It Up"

Posted by Kevin Z. Rong Sunday, May 19, 2013 0 comments

Latin pop's finest Jennifer Lopez takes the dance floor hostage once again and back looking sexy as ever with the fearless and flashy video for her party-themed track, "Live It Up," the lead single off Lopez's upcoming eighth studio album, featuring  guest vocals from Cuban rapper Pitbull. The duo performed the club banger earlier and blew us all away during the finale of "American Idol" last Thursday (May 16), which marks her first return to the show after residing on the judges panel for two seasons.
Lyrically, "Live It Up" features 43-year-old pop songstress singing inspirational lyrics about living it up over an uptempo dance-pop and Europop electro beat. The high-energy track utilizes a drum-patterned fist-pumping electro beat, as well as heavy synths. The typical Euro-pop jam contains the sonic disruptions of dubstep in the breakdown. Pitbull's lyrics have a recurring theme of feminism. It becomes something we never dreamed possible: a colorful and completely bonkers number!
Like graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate, the combination of Lopez, Pitbull and producer RedOne has proven to be endlessly winning. After scoring hits with 2011's "On The Floor" and last year's "Dance Again," the trio has once again united for "Live It Up," which has been engineered as a dance-ready summer anthem, with RedOne's chopped-up synths hitting overdrive after Pitbull commands his audience, "Make love! Don't fight! Let's hook tonight!" While Lopez seems to be having a blast on the track, tossing out inspirational phrases about doing anything we want, living it up, not stopping, and going.
Directoed by Jessy Terrero, the sizzling and celebratory clip shows Lopez all sides of her ferocious vigor from runway fashionista to beach babe and having a jolly good time, as it begins with Lopez clothed in a black-feathered frock and chaotically getting ready for a big fashion show along with a group of dancer and models in contrast to the care-free environment of the beach. While Pitbull enjoys himself living it up on the beach with various women, she soon takes center spotlight on the catwalk where she shows off her dance moves. Later, these colorful and energetic scenes are inter cut with the singer lying on a beach chair with an orange swimsuit and vibrant orange lipstick on. Pump it up below.

Owl City on how being bullied as a teen informed his new music video for the latest song, "Metropolis," the third single from Owl City's latest mega hit fourth studio album, "The Midsummer Station," which has released last August, shows a shift towards a darker yet more Dance-oriented direction. The musical project – made up of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Adam Young, who explained: "I grew up listening to Dance music and I've always wanted to make a Dance record, European dance music has so much influence over pop right now, so it made sense to me."
Young may not feel an explicit mission to make the '80s safe for the 21st century, but that's certainly what he achieves on Owl City's "The Midsummer Station." The set is bathed in sunshine melodies, uptempo hooks and buoyant choruses that recall MTV's early days. "Like a hijacked plane, or a runaway train, or a speeding bullet / there's no stopping this, I left my heart in Metropolis," the 26-year-old sings on the string-laden "Metropolis," which is a soaring number brimming with warm synths and a stomping beat that Young produced himself and co-wrote with his friend Matthew Thiessen of Relient K.
Young oozes frothy positivity through the effervescent sweep on the slightly more sophisticated "Metropolis." It's easy to see why Owl City exist. A sneering, compulsory hedonism pervades mass culture and high-school hallways. It warps more shy, creative kids into defensive partisans of lower-key whimsy. It gives us underdeveloped pop heroes like Young, who reduce their fans' fears and desires to the handiest cliché while desperately reassuring them they're all fuckin' perfect fireworks. But they deserve better. We deserve better. "I was bullied a lot in high school and didn't have a whole list of friends," the hit-making singer tells us of his superhero-themed clip. "So I wanted to make a video that paid heed to that." If you don't, the bad guys win.
Combining a mixture of live action and comic book drawings, the Daniel Cummings-directed video, has a great message about stopping bullying and becoming a hero, is cute and tells of a boy in high school who thwarts a bully to win the girl of his dreams. The comic-inspired music video begins with kids inside a classroom, and one school boy is reading a comic book. After class, the boy witnesses another kid being bullied in the hallway. The rest of the video switches among comic book scenes of the boy becoming a super hero and defeating evil, and of the boy in real life. Put on your cape and check out the video below!

Olly Murs sends love to his ex via graffiti, cappuccino foam and a handwritten letter in the emotional visuals for his heartbreaking pop song, "Dear Darlin'," third single lifted from English pop singer's latest third multi-platinum studio album, "Right Place, Right Time," which shot to the top of the charts last November. The video shows us a more vulnerable and sensitive side to the usual cheeky chappy we see singing and dancing around in his other popular tunes.
Rose to fame on The X Factor UK in 2009, placing runner-up, the 29-year-old "Troublemaker" singer contemplates a lost love while writing the heart-warming ballad "Dear Darlin'" with his friend and fellow singer-songwriter, Ed Drewett and Jim Eliot. "Writing with Ed and him being my friend helped, as we sat there for hours before writing, going over old relationships and recalling their scenarios," Murs said of the song. "It's about writing to someone to tell them how I feel about losing someone. It's not the kind of song you'd expect me and Ed to write, as we're bubbly characters, but we were able to open up to each other."
Murs sings along to an up-tempo ballad as he seems to be missing a previous relationship he once had. Love hurts! "Dear Darlin'" sees Murs making the transition from pop playboy to soulful balladeer. Murs lays his emotions bare in the dramatic video for his latest single, which Shot in Los Angeles and depicts Murs' heartbreak when he's dumped by his girlfriend, as we see heartbroken Murs sat alone in an apartment thinking about a recent break-up and reflecting on the arguments with his girlfriend in their new home while they struggle to communicate their feeling towards one another in writing, and sadly the relationship goes south.
The two try to do just that by communicating their feelings through a letter, but neither can find the right words. Later on in the promo Murs is attempting to win back the love of his life with a series of romantic gestures and puts pen to paper to write down the song's poignant lyrics. As he and the girl are seen walking the streets around the town with the girl been given a coffee saying 'I (Heart) You' in it, then walking by a busker playing the guitar with a cardboard sign 'saying I Miss You' next to him. She later seen walking by a wall with the words 'These Arms Are Yours To Hold' and she is last seen writing 'Dear Olly I Miss You Too' in a notebook before ripping the page out and scrunching it up whilst Murs is seen on top of a tower.

Iggy Azalea soaks up the culture, channels Bollywood in "Bounce"

Posted by Kevin Z. Rong Thursday, May 16, 2013 0 comments

From Australia to India. Iggy Azalea goes global in the Bollywood-themed energetic video for her electro-pop party song, "Bounce," the second European single from the model-turned-rapper's upcoming debut album, "The New Classic", due later this summer. The Aussie rapstress adds her own little twist to some of the traditional dance rituals and partakes in a few local festivities and soaks up the culture in the colorful clip. Taking her talents down to India, Azalea adds her own little twist to some of the traditional dance rituals and partakes in a few local festivities.
Azalea's new banger "Bounce," bounces right into cultural appropriation territory. Instead of her simmering hip-hop tracks, Azalea gets a bit dance-y, with big breakdowns and super fast rapping, demonstrating she's aiming not just for rap fans, but for the late-night crowd, too. Azalea may very well have a smash on her hands with this, and she pairs the fiery raps for which she gained popularity with a club-friendly house beat that's the most commercial thing we've heard from her to date. If you didn't want to bounce before, you'll be dying to bounce right out of your seat after you see her new video!
The video shoot was a dream come true for the 22-year-old, who recently inked a deal with Island Def Jam. While being interviewed about the video shoot, Azalea called the experience one of the highlights of her career. "Shooting 'Bounce' in India was surreal, it's just so crazy to dream something so big and actually see it happen." She continued, "We just took this elephant and thugged it down the street, and it was insane." Azalea hopes the video will inspire others. "I think record labels need to reinvest in doing stuff like that," She continued. "It helps create the fantasy and the bigness of an artist. This video definitely perpetuates escapism."
Set in Mumbai, India, the BRTHR-directed Bollywood-esque piece video's vibrant visuals bring the already bright and colorful tune to life in ways only she can, complete with traditional Indian saris and elephants! Azalea reinterprets traditional dance routines and brought her fiercest Bollywood moves to show us all what she's working with as Azalea spitfire rides an IRL elephant and bounces her way down the busy streets of India through this party-perfect upbeat bouncy swagger. Not the one to shy away from provocative imagery, the clip shows Azalea cavorting amidst a festival of colors with interludes of psychedelic imagery throughout.

Sara Bareilles inspires random folks bust a dance move in "Brave"

Posted by Kevin Z. Rong Wednesday, May 15, 2013 0 comments

Sara Bareilles has finally premiered the music video for her inspiring hit single, "Brave," the lead offering from the super talented and humble American singer-songwriter's upcoming fourth studio album, "The Blessed Unrest," due in stores July 16 via Epic. The record was inspired by her own life and addressed some of the demons she was battling. "I have never felt more open and more raw in my entire life," said 33-year-old talented entertainer.
The bubbly jam, "Brave" lends advice to someone struggling to come out with an important confession. Though anyone could relate, Bareilles had a particular audience in mind. Writing the song with Fun. lead guitarist Jack Antonoff, Bareilles says she was inspired by a close friend who was having trouble coming out about being gay. "There is so much honor and integrity and beauty in being able to be who you are and it's important to be brave, because by doing that, you give others permission to do the same," she explained about her motivations. There's a really good energy about the song is extremely upbeat, rhythmic, fun, catchy and has a big singalong hook and an inspirational be-your-best-self message to it.
Set to a cheeky, piano-driven pop track, "Brave" marks the beginning of a new sound for Bareilles. As opposed to her previous subdued, organically slow ballads, "Brave" is Bareilles' most mainstream, pop radio-friendly effort to date. There's a lot more to this jam than Bareilles' crystal-clear delivery and some expertly polished production. The lyrics were partially inspired by a close friend of hers who struggled with coming out. So not only is Bareilles an ace musician, but she's also an amazing friend who writes personalized and empowering anthems for her pals to help them overcome life obstacles.
"I want to see you be brave!" sings Bareilles and sometimes, courage manifests itself in the form of shameless, altogether goofy dance moves. Bareilles has teamed up with actress Rashida Jones who marks the directorial debut for the video, which shows Bareilles belting out the uplifting lyrics of her new tune, while a group of random folks bust a move in Bareilles' words 'acting like a weirdo' at diverse locations in Los Angeles, such as, libraries, gyms and shopping malls. Soon enough, the other dancers join the polka-dot-clad Bareilles and flaunt some inspired choreography, simply not caring about what others may think and smiles are induced throughout.

Skylar Grey comes back from a deadly-romance in 'Final Warning'

Posted by Kevin Z. Rong Tuesday, May 14, 2013 0 comments

After showing a more playful side with her Eminem-assisted single "C'mon Let Me Ride," Skylar Grey is one tough girl in her just-released dark and dramatic video for her appropriately titled catchy song, "Final Warning," the second single from the 27-year-old Wisconsin native's upcoming Eminem-executive produced major label debut album, "Don't Look Down," due in stores July 9 via Interscope Records. The haunting video puts a twist on the song's deadly-romance storyline as Grey plays a mistress in her lover's cross-hairs.
"This is the first time in my entire life of making music, when I made this song, where I feel like I finally figured out the way that I wanted to sound and the combination of things," Grey tells Rolling Stone about the song. "I wrote the song three years ago, and it's still my favorite. I've written so many songs since then, yet I always go back to this one. It got me going on the whole Skylar Grey project." Grey adds that the song was inspired by heartbreak. "I wrote it the same week I wrote 'Love the Way You Lie.' I was in a cabin in the woods in Oregon. It's inspired by the same tumultuous relationship behind 'Love the Way You Lie.'"
For "Final Warning," Grey gets back to her 'dark' sound. This is more like the Grey we first met. I honestly like this spooky ballad. And the video is amazing. It translates the message of the song really well. Love and family don't always mix. When relationships become inappropriate and lines get crossed, there's no telling what the outcome may be. The dark cinematic visual tells a complex storyline and shows a battered and bruised Grey returning from near death and appears at her family's home wanting to confess a dark secret about having an affair with her sister's boyfriend, but it only to be put through a near life ending ordeal as he tried to kill her. But it's Grey who will have the last laugh.
"The video for 'Final Warning' is totally different from the song," says Grey. "In the song you'd think I'm talking about my boyfriend cheating on me. But in the video I'm the mistress to this dude, who's married to another woman, and I'm mad that he married [her] instead of me." And to hide his infidelity, the "dude" then tries to murder Grey's character. "He wants to get rid of me so his whole life doesn't fall apart," she explains. "He botches the murder. Then I come back and confront him in front of his whole family at his birthday party. I come into the house, all muddy, because I came out of a ditch he threw me in after trying to murder me and not succeeding. I crash the party and everyone freaks out. Then he tries to finish me off for good."

MIKA & Ariana Grande revenge against bullies in "Popular Song"

Posted by Kevin Z. Rong Monday, May 13, 2013 0 comments

MIKA has teamed up with post-Nickelodeon pop star Ariana Grande to release a music video for his latest anti-bullying anthem, "Popular Song," the second single in the US from the 29-year-old British singer-songwriter's third studio album, "The Origin of Love." The heart of the video is fantastic and shows the pair hosting a grisly dinner party to get revenge on a pack of schoolyard bullies that picked, teased and were otherwise horrible to them.
Funny enough, it seems like the 19-year-old lovely and talented Grande's own popularity is on the rise heading into this partnering. MIKA, meanwhile, is still doing what he does best - peppering infectious melodies with raw cleverness. The track contains a killer "Wicked" sample, featuring a fresh twist line from the Broadway musical's smash track "Popular," and uses a very rough tempo and instrumentation, to fit in with the theme of the album. MIKA said of the song in an interview: "I went to see ["Wicked"], and I thought, 'Grande's actually being mean,' so I thought it would be nice to take the song and write my own version of it because I don't like what she was saying in that part of the show."
"Popular Song" is a song to inspire bullied and unpopular people to stand up. It is a different view of MIKA's previous efforts, with its peppy beat + catchy melody + playful lyrics = perfect song to bounce around to. OK, we get it, high school sucks as anyone who went to high school knows. Wouldn't it be nice to invite them over for dinner, then magically turn them into stone like the witches? Well, no matter how much they suck, MIKA and Grande do a nice job of acting out our ultimate high school fantasy in the Chris Marrs Piliero-directed stylish video for "Popular Song."
The clip follows a Gothic theme, being set in a spooky, dark, "Addams Family"-esque high school. MIKA texts an invite to a dinner party to his popular classmates who are bullying him and Grande. This is interlaced with scenes of the two brewing a potion in a witch's cauldron and scenes of them falling victim to bullying. MIKA later prepares to return to his mansion in his talking car. At the dinner party, the bullies consume their drinks drugged with the potion, and turn to stone. They are then smashed into pieces. The video ends with a twist, as the pair have a toast and the former takes a sip from his drink, the video flashes back to when the two were children and MIKA is seen kicking down Grande's castle made of wooden blocks. MIKA subsequently turns to stone as well.

Mariah Carey teases her sexy collaborator with a playful dance routine in a fun and sweet simplistic video for her new popping duet with R&B throwback crooner Miguel, "#Beautiful," the lead cut from her forthcoming as-yet-untitled fourteenth album, and the long-awaited follow-up to her 2009 recording "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel." The pop/R&B diva, the best-selling female artist of all time with more than 200 million albums sold to date, recently told Billboard her new album "has more raw ballads than people might expect."
"#Beautiful" is a mid-tempo and stripped down pop, an nod to the old school-flavored and soul track, and blends the two singers' vocals into a sticky-sweet ballad. Carey and Miguel embark on a motorbike cruise during the night, as Miguel begins it and boldly crooning about her beauty. Carey does not enter the song until a third of the way through, she matches Miguel's glorious tone with the confidence of someone who knows she can lift her verse to equal whatever comes her way. "#Beautiful" ends at the exact moment it should with a textured layering of both singers' vocals which gradually fade as the song draws to a close.
The retro-tinged, breezy guitar-driven number is gritty and vital, filled with a crawling, dirty bass line, a seductive, immediately embeddable guitar melody and just enough tambourine to get the engine running. The song's lyrics called for Carey to be dressed in sexy attire, and her big vocals combined with Miguel's signature eclectic rock and roll sound results in "#Beautiful" having an old school vibe to it reminiscent of the Stax Records/Motown Records era. Miguel's soothing R&B pipes and Carey's 1991-sounding ethereal vocals make "#Beautiful" such a winner!
Filmed out in Los Angeles, the visual takes us on a motorcycle ride with Miguel behind the wheel and Carey riding shotgun suited up in some beautiful leather attire. Director Joseph Khan seamlessly superimposed the pair onto the countryside backdrop along with shots of Carey seductively propped on a big bike in front of a giant tree for a very light and breezy feel and mood for the video that matches the sweet ballad. The 43-year-old superstar isn't messing around in what's probably her hottest music video yet and looks as young and fresh as her 1997 "Honey" video days in the playful dance routine she does for the younger 27-year-old neo-soul singer.

Lana Del Rey defines what stunning is in the most enthusiastic music video for the cinematic ballad, "Young and Beautiful," the first single and the official theme song from the soundtrack to the theatrical remake film of the novel "The Great Gatsby," by visionary director Baz Luhrmann. The clip was expected to dropped on April 22, and changed to the same day that "The Great Gatsby" hit theaters on Friday. The dark video is fitting. Simple, emotional, epic and styled perfectly for the films era with typically lush Del Rey.
The alternative rock ballad, "Young and Beautiful," finds Del Rey channeling some of the film's spirit, and the era's fragile glamor. With the lyrics, "Will you still love me when I'm no longer young and beautiful?" Del Rey adds a hint of desperation which parallels the idiosyncrasies faced by the characters in F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel, a story about the young and mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and his quixotic passion for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan on prosperous Long Island in the summer of 1922. The track falls very much in-line with what Del Rey's fans have come to expect from the singer.
Del Rey's dreamy vocals are draped over sedated strings and canned percussion. The soft and dreary vocals play over an epic backing, making it easy to see how this song would fit within the world of the decadent 1920s, falling in line with her affectation, fit the atmosphere of the 1920s when the novel is set. The lyrics rotate around the themes of pleasing a lover, nostalgia, and the gloom of aging. The song was relevant to the book because of its obsession with decay and the fleeting nature of the good life certainly resonate. It is an artifact of Del Rey's consistently dark tone, and a big, sweeping ballad with piano, violins and Del Rey's warbly delivery.
Directed by Chris Sweeney and shot by Sophie Muller, the dark clip features close-up shots of the 26-year-old songstress in her typical melancholic fashion, sultrily singing with two bedazzled diamond tears on her face, about life, love, age, and looking simply exquisite in 1920s art deco grand hall as an orchestra plays the "Young and Beautiful" notes and elaborated a tale of wealth and power, betrayal and downfall with a full orchestra ensemble backdrop playing the haunting and strikingly somber tune. The clip does not feature any characters from the film, but instead focuses on just the indie pop singer up close and personal, performing her soundtrack contribution.

Avril Lavigne is back, and she's pulled a youthful, brings old her back, takes her fans to the prom and wants to stay young forever in the music video for her new unwilling-adult anthem, "Here's To Never Growing Up," the trailer cut from the Canadian pop/rock singer's upcoming yet-untitled fifth studio album, due in stores in September via Epic Records. The point of the song is unapologetically holding onto that notion of being young at heart. Lavigne, who is now 28-years-old but looks exactly identical to her 17-year-old self in the prom-themed video to her fittingly titled new single.
The pop-punker having been world-famous for over a decade, and having gone through a marriage and a divorce (and with another marriage upcoming), Lavigne has never exactly seemed like an artist likely to go through a difficult, mature phase. Lavigne's defiant immaturity has been a hallmark of her music for as long as she's being around, and now it appears to be getting more willful than ever, as evidenced by her new song, which is basically what it sounds like from its title–an acoustic power ballad-type, Peter Pan-like manifesto about Lavigne and her buds staying "forever young" against all odds, promising that "we're never gonna change."
The medium-tempo rocker is a classic drinking tune, an anthemic shout-along about railing against the onset of maturity in favor of telling people 'Yeah, whatever' and screaming Radiohead tunes. Its melody is immediately and instantly familiar and sounds exactly like her breakthrough 2002 hit "Complicated." The sing-songy track, built around a big, kick-drum stomp, is an aptly-titled salute to staying forever young. "It's a pop rock tune. And it's just about being young, having fun, being present, living in the moment and that's what I love to do," she told Ryan Seacrest. Lavigne has always had an annoyingly mannered delivery, but it reaches new heights on "Here's To Never Growing Up." The rowdy nature of the track certainly makes it an early entry into the round of summer anthems.
Directed by Robert Hale, the visual follows Lavigne and her ex-bandmates Evan Taubenfeld and Devin Bronsonrocking, who are duded up in red plaid tuxedos, while they prepare to perform at a dull high school senior prom. The event livens up once the band kicks in with Lavigne's ode to teenage rebellion. The singer rocks with the band, skateboards down corridors and even dons her signature look from back in her "Complicated" days, board shorts, white tank top and tie. Lavigne seemed to have a blast in the process of filming, so at least she's happy with her unchanged musical style that's been reincarnated from the previous decade. The Queen will be forever young!

The Wanted pay tribute to 90s boybands in "Walks Like Rihanna"

Posted by Kevin Z. Rong Thursday, May 9, 2013 0 comments

The Wanted try and impress a sexy music video director with their recycled ideas in their just-released new music video for their latest popalicious single, "Walks Like Rihanna," the first cut to be lifted from the boyband's upcoming third studio album, which is yet-untitled. The latest single from The Wanted may be named after Rihanna, but the music video for the winsomely abysmal new track is focusing on an entirely different set of pop idols, as The Wanted channeling the boy banders who've come before them in "Walks Like Rihanna."
The five-piece English-Irish boy band worked with Dr. Luke on the track, which is a summer anthem that was inspired by Bajan singler Rihanna. "We are really excited about this single. We feel it's a little different from the usual Wanted sound, we've stripped it back to pure pop, it's just a feel-good, fun track," Tom Parker said. "Fun is a good word to describe the video too. Let's just say it's got a lot of character." Apparently, The Wanted decided to have a little fun with their boy-band image in their latest music video.
The accompanying "Walks Like Rihanna" video was shot in Los Angeles and has The Wanted imitating major boy bands that came before them, and the entire mini-film seems to be a cheeky homage to boybands of the past. The video follows the boys meet a way-too-hot music video director who pitches them a few ideas for their new video. Unfortunately the director's video ideas are a bit recycled, but fortunately for us, that means we get to see The Wanted pay homage to previous boy-band pop culture. First, the singers poke fun and re-enact the marionette scene from their forefathers by parodying N'Sync's puppet-themed hit "Bye Bye Bye" from their album "No Strings Attached."
And then spoofs the Backstreet Boys' hit "I Want It That Way" with the all-white-everything scene and features the fivesome sporting all-white suits, identical to those worn in the wildly popular 1999 music video. Finally, the guys pay tribute to their earliest U.K. boy band predecessors by frolicking in the rain à la Take That's "Back For Good." In the end, after several attempts to embody the essences of these other bands, she has the right idea. She puts them in an empty warehouse, and strutting like Rihanna, she enters as the video vixen the video so needed all along.

Selena Gomez embracing an earthy, tribal feel in "Come & Get It"

Posted by Kevin Z. Rong Wednesday, May 8, 2013 0 comments

After what seems like a year without rain, the drought has finally ended, as Selena Gomez grows up and pays tribute to pop's past in her brand-new music video for her fun dance track, "Come & Get It," the lead single from the 20-year-old pop songstress and actress' upcoming as-yet-untitled debut solo album, fourth overall, following the three discs she released as the frontwoman of Selena Gomez & the Scene. The new video features Gomez braving the elements as she dances by a fire in a sexy sari-inspired getup before swimming in the open water, and we think it's her best video yet!
The Ester Dean penned and Stargate produced track is a mid-tempo pop song with elements of Indian music, about an up-and-down, on-off relationship. lyrically, it describes an addiction to a troublesome romance as a female lover's attempt to rekindle a previously ended romance. "Come & Get It," an easy, breezy tune with an ambling melody and a hint of reggae lilt, is fairly monotone, but repeat listens reveal the song's infectiousness. The track combines a Bhangra beat and vocal with a club-ready vibe and a dreamy bridge. And Gomez seems completely on-board with her love affair on the dance track.
The tribal electro-pop jam was released a few months after Gomez's split from her former boyfriend Justin Bieber. Fans immediately began speculating that the tune was a message to her ex that she wanted to get back together. However, the singer denied this was the case. She told Ryan Seacrest, "It's not really about a specific person. It exudes confidence and strength and that is something I'm willing to share with the world. I want to represent something good and be a good example."
Teaming up with director Anthony Mandler, who most recently directed Taylor Swift's "I Knew You Were Trouble" video, the two collectively worked to bring the Bhangra beat of "Come & Get it" to life. In the video, Gomez embracing an earthy, tribal feel and showed off a super sultry side of herself that we've never seen before as she battles the elements by taking on Earth, fire, and water. The singer seductively danced with the Earth in a revealing black outfit in a field of flowers. She fought fire in a red-hot outfit dancing with a group in the firelight. Gomez also channeled her inner mermaid by gracefully swimming in the ocean, and looked absolutely stunning while doing it!

Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift and Keith Urban "Highway Don't Care"

Posted by Kevin Z. Rong Tuesday, May 7, 2013 0 comments

Tim McGraw finally revealed his saddest video ever for his latest colossal country superstar collaboration single, "Highway Don't Care," a duet with his labelmate Taylor Swift and featuring Keith Urban on guitar, is the third single from the 46-year-old Country crooner and actor's new album, "Two Lanes of Freedom," which impacted on February 5th, serves as the singer's highly-anticipated debut Big Machine Records release. The track is arguably one of the best collaborations of the decade, maybe even ever.
"Highway Don't Care," a cautionary tale about the dangers of texting and driving, was co-penned by country music's loved one-time-duo, The Warren Brothers who explains: "The cool thing about that song is that the part we wrote for the girl, she is just the voice on the radio." It's about the person you're singing about in the song or singing to in the song is driving down the road. The tune is a mid-tempo ballad where the male narrator is driving his car, and is separated from his lover who is also driving. Lyrically, the song is a take on freedom tinged with regret. Throughout the verses, he tells her what he "bets" she is feeling, when a song comes on the radio.
A new emotional climax is a roller coaster of emotions that reached each time the arrangement slows down for Swift to deliver the almost haunting "I can't live without you, baby." From there Urban introduces the chorus by way of a few passionate pulls at his guitar strings. Suddenly, the air guitar is cool again. Urban's solo at the bridge and slowly and satisfyingly brings us back down to Earth with the relatively gentle sounds of McGraw and Swift's harmonies. These two are a wonderful vocal match. There's no sense of one being underutilized to benefit the other, or one being no match for the other's talents. It's her song as much as it is his, with Urban playing more than a complementary roll.
This such a hauntingly brilliant song accompanied by an absolutely soul-crushing video, directed by Shane Drake, and it features a series of dramatic footage and marks yet another addition to the Car Crash Video genre. It begins with McGraw singing in the middle of a lonely road outside of Nashville on a cold, foggy morning by a river, telling the story of a young girl who jumps into her car all upset, not paying attention to the road while she's driving. She can see Swift singing the chorus in her rear view mirror as she drives. The gut-wrenching sob story about an ill-fated lovers contains Public Service Announcement-esque levels of melodrama, but it is pretty effective! Watch it and remember how precious life is.

The stunning R&B diva Alicia Keys has unveiled a bold and high-energy new video for her new triumphant anthem, "New Day," the lead single and the third international single from her fifth studio album, "Girl on Fire." The 32-year-old R&B songstress fires on her husband Swizz Beatz-produced hit with the very catchy, more up-tempo tune and declares it's a new day and calls listeners to celebrate her new "Girl on Fire" single.
"New Day," Keys' most powerful number to date, is a contemporary R&B song with house, Hip hop, pop and reggae influences, and the song showcases a musical departure from the previous singles by the singer, with a more upbeat sound led by drums and percussion, as opposed to her classical R&B sound. On the song, Keys sings about "touching the sky and not letting chances go to waste." The chorus "It's a new day" speaks of everything. It's a new day for music. It's a new day for her spiritually, mentally. The concept is celebrating life, and that's just the beginning of it.
On the theme of the song, Keys expressed that for her, "a new day is the possibility to chose how to create the life of your dreams and letting no one to stop you." The song is clearly inspired by the experiences and feelings the singer had about her son. She further added that "In short, 'New Day' is a strong start to what will hopefully be a banger of an album." The song marks a musical departure for Keys as it sees her stepping away from her ballads and piano-led R&B music towards a more percussion-led sound. It sounds harder and tougher, sounds like a rhythmic jam with some vocals tucked underneath.
Strutting on the stage and in the streets, the Indrani-directed visuals juxtaposes footage one of her sold-out, jam-packed concerts as Keys performing in a crop top to a packed crowd with scenes of the singer breaking it down in a pair of killer leather pants in back alleys, and sweeping views of New York City as Keys doing some arm-raising choreography with her back-up male dancers. Interspersed in between the two similar-looking set-ups are shots of graffiti being painted on the wall of the alleyway, which when finally done, served as the video's culminating shot, showing a cool artwork of Keys and her new single's title.

Total Pageviews

Stephanie Quayle


Click to watch Stephanie Quayle, Sugar High.

Popular Posts

The Band Perry


Click to watch The Band Perry, Chainsaw.

Taylor Swift


Click to watch Taylor Swift, Red